Jealously, Maybe
by Tsukiaa
Summary: -- "Maybe, you're just jealous." Katara goes through an experience with the green-eyed monster within her, otherwise known as jealousy. ZUTARA.
1. ONE: Jealousy, me?

Weee. I'm on a roll here.

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ONE:** JEALOUSY, ME?  
**

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Katara narrowed her eyes as she watched Mai lock her lips with the Fire Lord. Tapping her fingers against the cold hard wooden table with one hand, she grabbed her chopsticks with her other and stuffed some food in her mouth.

"Oh, Zuko..." Katara almost gagged, grabbing a glass of water before she could do so. I mean, seriously. This was a _dinner_ party. Not a 'extreme-personal-display-of-affection' celebration, because if it was, she rather be jumping off a cliff or struck by Azula than this.

She rolled her eyes, putting down the glass, looking back at the couple. She leaned towards Suki, who was calmly sitting next to her, taking a bite of the meat. "Isn't that just gross?" Katara nudged her friend slightly on the shoulder, almost making Suki drop the meat that was in her mouth.

"Mmph..." Suki chewed her food and swallowed before she answered back. "What do you mean? Do you mean the food?" She poked it with one of her chopsticks, then looking back at Katara. "Cause the meat's not that bad if you eat it with-"

Katara shook her head, whispering back. "Not that! The food's fine." She took her napkin and covered her mouth, moving closer to Suki. "I mean, _them_." She motioned Suki with her finger towards the 'royal' couple.

Suki's eyes widened. "Oh!" She said almost too loudly, causing the people around the table to look at her. "You mean Zuk- oomph." Katara pulled her down before she could finish her sentence.

"Shhhh!" Katara put a finger to her lips, instructing Suki to do the same. Suki sighed, and rested her index finger on her lips. They were now almost under the table, using the edge of the tablecloth to cover their heads. "Don't let them hear you!"

"Okay, okay I won't." Suki said, putting her finger down and away from her lips. "And so what?" She asked Katara, who was looking back up menacingly at the couple. "Katara!" She gripped the sleeve of her shirt and pulled the waterbender back down. "What's wrong with them, anyways?"

"They're just so..." Katara shuddered. "Touchy. And-" She pointed out. "- and they kissed!"

Suki cocked her head to the side. "So?" She said, relaxing her shoulders. "They're a couple. Is that so wrong? I touch Sokka all the time," She looked back at Sokka who was munching on a leg of lamb, and kissed him on the cheek. He turned to her and gave her a grin, then went back to eating. "And that's not so wrong is it? I kiss him too. You have Aang. Don't you do that with Aang too?"

Katara paused, got up to face Aang, smiled, and went back down under the tablecloth before he could even blink. "Well- yeah- sometimes- maybe- a little- not really..." She started mumbling, pushing both her index fingers together as the trailed in thought. Suki face palmed herself. "But that's not the point, Suki! It's just... so... uncomfortable! We're sitting across from them! Don't they know that?"

"Well, I guess..." Suki shrugged, swiping away a piece of her own hair from her face. "But you know, I don't really care that much." She pointed out. "I really don't."

Katara pointed to them. "How can you not care?!" She asked, her hands almost up in the air. "Look at that!" She and Suki looked back up to see Mai leaning on Zuko's shoulder. "Look at that! What do you call that?"

Suki grabbed a piece of meat from her plate and bit it. "Love?" she suggested. "Just ignore them and eat."

"You're right." Katara sighed, grabbing her chopsticks and poking into her salad. "It's better that way." She chewed on a vegetable. "I mean, if I close my eyes, I don't see anything at all-"

Inwardly, Suki groaned. "Maybe, you're just jealous." She pointed out, poking Sokka to get her more food. He complied, and reached for a bowl.

"Thanks," Suki whispered, giving Sokka another kiss on the cheek as he gave her the bowl full of more buffalo deer meat. She used her utensil to pick out some, going back to Katara. "I mean, you're the only one who's been ranting about them, so maybe that's it. Jealous."

Katara huffed at the thought, and crossed her arms indignantly. "And why would I be jealous of them?"

Suki shrugged her shoulders again, looking at her. "Maybe..." She paused, picking at her mean. "Maybe you like Zuko?" Katara almost fell down laughing.

"Me?" She started, wiping non-existant tears from her eyes. "And... Zuko?"

Suki nodded, glancing at Katara, then Zuko, who now was starting to notice that their conversation revolved around him. She lowered her voice. "I mean, Katara, think about it. I know you have Aang and all, but when was the last time you kissed him?"

Katara scratched the back of her head. "Um. That's sort of a private issue here..." Suki rubbed her chin in though. "Ah, so you haven't kissed him in awhile, huh..." Katara froze, a nerve in the back of her brain twitching.

"Suki!"

"What?" She gave a innocent look towards her friend, wagging her finger at her. "And now, anyways, look at that. You're about to gag when watching Mai kiss Zuko and lean on his shoulder, which is jealousy, madam."

"It is not!"

"Oh, don't you know it." Suki nodded at her own explanations. "It's true." She poked Katara on the arm. "And now, you know the truth."

Before Katara could reply with the 'I told you I'm not jealous!'-denial line, Zuko nudged the dozed-off Mai off his shoulder stood from across the table, casting his eyes on both Katara and Suki. "What truth?" He asked, curiously. He had heard the beginning part and ending part of their conversation. "Is there something you'd like to say?" He stared at Katara intently, waiting for her answer.

Katara stood up, unconsciously clutching onto her napkin. "Um." She peered down at Suki, who was now eying her, then Zuko, then her, then Zuko, motioning for her to say something. "I-" She looked back down at Suki. Suki nudged her a little, mouthing "Go ahead, say something!"

"I-"

"Yes?" Zuko leaned in to hear her. "You... ?"

"I-" Katara dropped her napkin furiously, which really didn't have any effect on the element of the scene because it pretty much floated slowly down. "I don't like your girlfriend!" She said triumphantly. Grabbing one last piece of buffalo deer meat, she stuffed it in her mouth, looked at him, gave a 'humph!', then stomped out in fury.

"W- What?!" Zuko said, in total confusion.

Sokka leaned towards Suki, and whispered in her ear. "I don't like Mai either."

Suki laughed.

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**This is sortakinda for the SEVEN DAYS OF CAPSTARA for CAPSLOCK ZUTARA on LJ. ****I was on a roll, too, and it sorta went longer than I expected, since usually I'd write for these things about 500 words. Haha. Review please, and I might continue on with this. Or, I might just do another one-shot. Any thoughts?**

By the way, the prompt was 'I DON'T LIKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND', if you're curious.

**- Tsukia.**


	2. TWO: Jealousy? Never!

Plot? What plot?

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TWO:** JEALOUSY? NEVER!  
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:_a year ago_:

Although was a bright, sunny, perfect summer afternoon, Zuko didn't really notice. It was always like this in the Fire Nation, and tomorrow was the day of his crowning ceremony. The day he would be crowned Fire Lord. He sighed, leaning back on the red velvet chair he currently was reclining on. He was about to close his eyes, but the door of his new office creaked open.

"Are you nervous?" Her voice wafted into the room. Zuko let out the breath he didn't really know he was holding and closed his eyes once more.

"I was just thinking, Katara." He spoke softly, a hint of fatigue surrounding his voice. He opened his good eye, his looking directly at her blue orbs. "I thought that Aang had some duties to fulfil today."

She shrugged, walking around the room before stopping in front of him. "We're here for your ceremony, obviously." She found a small footstool and sat next to him, a sigh escaping her lips. "Aang decided to postpone all his duties so we could be here to watch you."

Zuko nodded in understanding, closing his eye once again. Tomorrow was the day he would be crowned. The day he had been waiting for practically since the day he was born. He didn't want to admit, but he really was nervous.

He turned to his side, not facing Katara. Being a Fire Lord wouldn't be easy, but that was something he had already expected. He would have to maintain the peace, paperwork, internal affairs, and there would be people who were against him...

Yes, he was nervous.

"Do... do you think," Zuko leaned back forwards, his eyes focused on the intricate details of the ceiling. "Do you think I'd be a good leader?" He asked her, not taking his eyes off the way the carvings of the ceiling formed into little swirls and continued throughout the rest of the room.

Katara frowned, nodding her head. "And why wouldn't you be, Zuko?" She asked, cocking your head sideways. "You're smart, talented," she told him, "and you're a powerful bender," Her voice sort of stopped at that moment. "Y- you're powerful."

"You already said that." He laughed slightly, looking at her this time, some of his pre-ceremony nervousness going away. She laughed as well, nervously though, grabbing a lock of her hair and tugging on it. "I guess I did." It was her turn to look at the intricate features of the ceiling. "So, do you have any idea what your plan is now, for the Fire Nation?"

He sat up this time. "That's what I've been thinking about."

Katara nodded in understanding, looking at his eyes, glossed with ideas for the future of his nation. Yes, she really believed that he could lead the Fire Nation towards even more prosperity, using peace and harmony instead of violence and death.

He kept on. "It's just... I mean, I'd have to maintain the peace, which is a challenge, and soon I will also have to choose a Fire Lady..." When thinking about that choosing a Fire Lady, Zuko was actually considering Katara. They had just recently become friends, and in that short amount of time, Katara had proved to him that she was capable of helping him rule his Nation, and would even maybe help with the peace, seeing that she was part of the Water Tribe. "... a strong one that would rule side-by-side with me."

And it was not only because it worked for the Nation and for peace, it was also because he naturally felt comfortable fighting side by side with her, and it was also easy to converse with her, ruling next to her should be as comfortable as well.

Katara kept on nodding, listening carefully to when he said. "So, the next on your agenda is choosing a powerful Fire Lady?" Zuko nodded. "Well, then, I've got an idea for you."

Zuko leaned in closer, to listen to what she had to say.

"Why not Mai?" She suggested leaning closer, their foreheads almost touching. "She's perfect for you."

- - -

Back at the present day, Zuko stood there dumbfounded, trying to open his mouth to speak. Actually, everyone at the dining table was. It had been so random, and no one had expected it. Well, maybe Suki, but it was still surprising for her nonetheless.

"W- what?" He finally said, repeating his last line, in as much shock as he was a minute ago.

_"I don't like your girlfriend!"_ Katara had just recently said, storming out of the royal dining room in annoyance.

Yes, that was a shock, since it had been her words and her advice that pushed him towards asking Mai to be his girlfriend once again. He could even repeat every single line she said as she pushed him to Mai that day.

_"Why not Mai? She's perfect for you."_ She had told him, eagerly too. Zuko ran a hand through his hair in frustration, thinking about all that had just happened. He felt Mai tug on his sleeve.

"She's your friend," She stated as if nothing had gone on just minutes before. "Why don't you just talk to her, or whatever." Mai grabbed a fruit tart from her plate and took a bite, a bit of peach filling almost dropping. "I'll just be here, Zuko, eating."

Zuko nodded, and with the swish of his robes, walked out into the hall. Fifteen minutes of searching the place for any trace of the girl, he looked sideways, out into the scenery.

"Oh, it's raining." He muttered to himself, stretching his hand from out of the shade. The rain fell softly onto his hand, twitching slightly at the freezing touch. Retracting his hand, he looked straight ahead, to a lone tree that stood out near the pond he and his mom used to sit by.

"Katara?" He rushed up to her, hands up above his head in a failed attempt to shield himself from the rain. She was lucky to be a waterbender; she could just bend out the water from her clothing. "Katara-"

"You know," she cut him off, "I usually like going out at night so I can think about things and to clear my head, especially when it rains." She admitted, stepping out into the rain, stretching both her arms out and closing her eyes, the rain dripping down her clothing. Zuko stood in the shade watching her-- he sort of didn't want to get his new robes wet. He chuckled.

"You know, you made a big scene." He finally decided on getting himself soaked, figuring that he could coax Katara into bending him dry.

Katara didn't look at him, instead, she looked up into the sky, arms still outstretched. She chose not to answer. He took a step towards her.

Zuko continued. "You said you didn't like Mai. Any reason why?" He stepped even closer, several feet away. She didn't answer, yet again, although her arms were down now. "Maybe, Katara, are you jealous?"

Her head snapped towards him. "Jealous?" She repeated. Deja vu.

"Yes," Zuko nodded, crossing his arms in triumph. "You're jealous, aren't you? Then why did you tell me to go with-"

Katara's sapphire eyes flamed up, as she started to stomp towards Zuko. "You think I'm jealous?" She accused, her finger pointed towards him. "Of you and Mai? I-" She stepped on a extraordinarily slippery patch of grass and fell backwards near the edge of the pond. Zuko lunged his arms out in front of him to catch her, successfully to his delight.

"Careful." Zuko gave her a smirk, moving in closed. Katara could feel his breath mingle with hers. She narrowed her eyes. "It's slippery."

Before Katara could blush or snarl a comment or anything, she stood up and shoved herself away from his grasp. Her heart almost pounded out of her chest as she breathed heavily. "I'm not jealous of you!" She snapped towards the now even more surprised Zuko. "I- I- just hate the way you can just kiss each other the way you do, in front of everyone! I hate the way she can just lean on your shoulder like that without you caring! I hate the way that you love each other!" She swiped the locks of soaked hair away from her eyes. "I am _not_ jealous, Zuko! That isn't jealousy!"

She stomped off again, but not before screaming at him one more time. "I'm going back in!" With a flick of her hand, she bended all the water from her hair and clothing and tossed it onto the pavement, walking away from the soaked-to-the-bone Zuko.

"Deja vu." He muttered, moving his own damp hair from his eyes. Zuko's clothing was now drenched, and he had to go back and change. He groaned, loudly. "Sometimes, I hate girls."

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**Oh, you know Katara's jealous. She's just stubborn.  
**

**AND OH CRAP. THERE WAS NOTHING FUNNY IN THIS CHAPTER. I'm changing the genre to Romance/Drama. Oh noes.**

**I think Reader Traffic is my new friend, because I like checking it. And I apparently get readers from really interesting places. Wow. Please review, and I'll keep going... faster! (Yes, I know I'm still updating daily for seven days of capstara.) The theme was slippery when wet, and that was sorta hard adding it to a non-lemon, non-vulgar, sort of fic. If it was a lemon, or a vulgar sort-of story, it would've been muuuuuch easier.**

**Sorry for typos, in advance. Tell me where they are and I'll give you a virtual cookie and I'll change the typos too! Next chapter is back to the dinner party.  
**

**-Tsukia.**

_Up next?_

He nervously tugged the collar of his shirt. This was going to be very awkward. "I've invited all of you here today..." he gulped. "... to announce the wedding that is soon to come!" Tensions were going to rise.


	3. THREE: Jealousy, sorta

The theme today was "TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL" or something of that sort, and luckily, this story is set during a dinner party. Is this chapter is short? Yes. I have a writer's block. And I was watching Koizora the drama. Sorry.

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THREE:** JEALOUSY? SORTA.  
**

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Sokka snorted in amusement, watching the Fire Lord, now dressed in different robes, trudge back into his seat, twenty minutes after Katara angrily stomped in.

"Ah," Sokka whispered to Suki, who was nervously glancing between Katara and Zuko, "So that's what happened." He chuckled, taking a bite of the fruit he had earlier set his eyes on eating. "I _told_ him not to mess with my sister but-"

Suki pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh!" She hissed, using her eyes to motion Sokka to look at his surroundings. He gulped as he did; it was so quiet, and everyone was so attentive, that even if you were to drop a napkin, they would here you.

He used his napkin to wipe his sweat. "Wow..." He rambled. "It's hot today, isn't it?" Sokka grabbed another peach from the fruit basket that sat in the center of the table. "It's- it's not like we're in the Fire Nation or something, right?" He laughed to himself, peeling the skin off the peach nervously.

Suki face palmed herself. "Sokka, we're in the Fire Lord's Palace, in the _middle_ of the Fire Nation." She sometimes wondered why she still loved him like she did, but now she was kind of used to it. She grabbed a peach herself.

"Oh."

It was Aang's turn to speak, since after awhile, seeing an annoyed Katara furiously stab into her food, Sokka and Suki nervously bantering, Mai scarfing down yet another fruit tart, and Zuko with a face that looked like he just got his ass kicked by Katara, it got tiring. "So, Zuko?"

Zuko looked up from his food. "What?" He spoke, in a loud, annoyed manner. "Are you also wondering about why I got here late? About why my hair's still wet, and why I'm in different robes?!"

Aang shook his head, a bead of sweat falling down from the top of his head. "Um, no." He scratched his head.

"Then... what?" Zuko was still in a bad mood, sitting back down, his elbows propping onto the table, his thumbs to rubbing his temples in a circular motion in an attempt to calm himself down. Mai sighed at her boyfriend, wondering what the _hell_ Katara did to piss him off even more than anyone could usually do.

"Why are we here?" Aang asked nonchalantly, looking straight at Zuko, who in turn looked right back with a bewildered place. "_What_? This isn't time for one of life's mystery questions-"

Aang shook his head again. "No!" He cleared his throat. "I meant, why did you invite us here? I'd take 'just a friendly dinner' as an answer, but most likely that would not be the Zuko thing to do."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "There's a Zuko thing now?" She snorted loudly, plopping her feet on the table and crossing her arms. "He's more popular then you now, Twinkletoes." Aang merely laughed.

"Funny." He said sarcastically.

Toph smirked, eyes glinting in blank triumph. "I try." Everyone paused to look at her, but she didn't notice this, obviously, and swatted her hand in front of her. "Well, go on, Sparky."

Zuko took a small glance at Katara before standing up. She didn't look at him, and was busy rearranging whatever was left on her dinner plate. Nervously, he tugged on the collar of his shirt. This was going to get even more awkward than it was a few moments earlier.

"I've invited all of you here today..." he started, gulping. "... to announce the wedding that is soon to come..." Was it him, or did the temperature just get even higher?

Sokka was the first one to say something. "Is it just me, or did the temperature get hotter?" Suki anxiously chuckled with him, as did Toph and Iroh. Aang stole a glance at Katara, who froze between her bites. "..." She didn't say a word.

"Katara..."

- - -

_He lifted her chin up, his onyx eyes boring through her sapphire orbs, bringing her body closer to him. Whispering, 'I love you, Katara' in silent breaths, he leaned in carefully to capture her lips with his own._

_Too bad that never happened._

_"No!" Katara almost jumped, hands lifted up in surprise. "No, no... Aang..." Her loud voice slowly calmed down, into a small whisper. "Oh, Aang..." She walked back up to him; Katara had jumped back a considerable around of feet away from the bald kid._

_"You don't love me, do you." He sighed, now sitting on the ground cross-legged._

_Katara flinched at his words. "Aang, Aang... I do!" She reassured. "I love you, Aang. I really, truly, do." She was sitting down in front of him now, her hands gripping his shoulders and slightly shaking them._

_He looked up at her. She was now bowing her head down, her hair covering her eyes. "But... but... not in __that way." She admitted. "I... I'm sorry."_

_Surprisingly, it didn't come to a shock for him. He nodded in slight understandment. "Is there someone else?" His voice was strong and clear, but inside he was hurting._

_She recoiled, her hands now leaving his shoulder. "I..." She started._

_Aang bent his head down. "I see."_

- - -

Aang never thought it could be Zuko. Heck, he could be wrong, but at that moment, it did seem very, incredibly likely. "Katara... Katara. Katara." He used his chopsticks to poke her cheek. She snapped back from her trance.

"Oh. What?" She blinked, dropping her chopsticks on her place. Katara looked at Zuko. "So, you're getting married, huh." She gave a grin, as well as a thumbs up. "I knew it. Congratulations. To both you and Mai." Katara gave a slight nod at Mai, who confusedly nodded back in acknowledgement.

"T- Thanks..." Mai stuttered, taken aback. This girl earlier had just told her that she didn't like her. And now? ... Her usual unemotion was breached. "I appreciate that."

Katara just smiled, and it was Ty Lee's turn to speak. "Now," She said, running to the one of the butlers and whispering something in his ear. He quickly rushed into the kitchen and brought back glasses and two bottles of wine. "Shall we have a toast?"

The wine was served, and everyone raised their glasses in celebration of Zuko and Mai's recent engagement. "To life!" Aang lifted his glass higher. "To love!" Sokka raised his higher as well. "To the newly engaged?" Katara added, and the toast was made.

Soon after, Katara nudged Suki. "I'm going out again." She smiled, holding the glass of -- you know it -- red wine. "Fresh air. Don't tell anyone, okay?" Suki nodded, and quickly but quietly, Katara made her exit. She really needed fresh air again.

But Suki wasn't the only who saw her leave. Golden eyes watched her as she swiftly shut the room's door.

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**Ah, flashbacks again? And oh fudge, I've caught a cold and I'm in no mood to write, but I have to since I've set my own self on this story. Please review? Because that keeps me going, cause usually I'd think no one would want to read this if I don't get any. And that's probably true, if that happens. Sorry for typos? Lol, random thing, bald kid made me lol. I wanted to put bald man, but ahah, I'd be giving silent giggles once and awhile. XD**

Also, I figured the hell part of the story would relate to Katara, since she had to sit through the wedding announcement crap. Good enough? D:

**- Tsukia.**

**And! Here's something random and extra:**

**There are at the table. The table is about 12 or 13 feet long and 5 feet wide, so it's one pretty big table. On one side, there's Toph, then Aang, then Katara, then Suki, then Sokka. The opposite side consists of some random guard, then Iroh, then Zuko, then Mai, then Ty Lee, then another random guard. Just in case you wanted some visual. And, this takes place about a year and a half or so later.**


	4. FOUR: Jealousy, what?

Today's theme says POOR SOME SUGAR ON ME, although I wonder if the 'poor' is a typo?

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FOUR:** JEALOUSY, WHAT?  
**

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Katara stepped out of the door, feeling as if she had done this a hundred times already.

Millions of thoughts were jammed into her head when he had announced his engagement, and she truly did need a breath of fresh air. Taking a sip out of her wine glass, she found a a railing to lean on nearby and dragged herself to it.

I mean, she did know that this was going to happen eventually. He and Mai had been dating for a considerable amount of time, and they did seem to get pretty serious, but she really didn't expect them to announce their engagement so quickly.

She didn't know why, but once he announced the word 'wedding', Katara felt her heart almost stop. Heck, she almost reached out for her water skins just in case she needed to heal herself. She didn't need it in the end, to her relief, but she still felt a sort of twinge that stayed on her heart. You know, the sort of feeling that you get when you're jealous.

She cringed. _Jealous_. _Jealousy_. Katara hated those words. She didn't see herself as jealous, but overly emotional for her friend. She was actually happy for Zuko. Yes, that's it.

Katara shook her head as an imaginary voice of Suki popped up in her mind. "_There's a word for that too: denial_." She took another sip of her wine, bringing the glass away from her face. "Ty Lee forgot most of us are underage." She laughed, leaning the glass forward and spilling its contents into the ground. No need for a drunk girl.

"The grass will die now, thank you." His voice filled the air, and she froze in place, not wanting to look around. "You know that, don't you?" He held a glass of red wine in his hands. Walking over to where she was, he too spilled his wine on the grass.

"Not much people know this," He admitted with a laugh, "but in contrast to popular beliefs, I'm not a very avid drinker."

Katara made a snort. "I don't think I've heard any of these so called popular beliefs." She said crossly, one eyebrow raised. "Last time you and Sokka drank cactus juice, you seemed even crazier than him." She laughed, bringing her head back.

Zuko frowned at her gesture, although he did feel a little lighter inside. "..."

Well, yes, he was getting married to Mai, but it wasn't like it was his full decision. It had been suggested to him by the other officials, seeing that the people might want him to have a Fire Lady by his side. And that was Mai, by default.

There was Katara, though. Katara, Katara, Katara. She... she was... how could he explain? She was the first one who didn't really judge him with his scar. Heck, she even tried to heal him. Zuko mentally slammed his head on the wall repeatedly, thinking that it was one of the most stupidest things he could have ever done by turning his back and going with Azula.

Then, when he tried to redeem himself and eventually joined Aang, even though they had a rocky start, he and Katara became great allies, him with fire and her with ice. It was a perfect battle pair.

He did-- he admitted-- he did have feelings for her, one time. And it had been that time when Katara came up to him and suggested, "Why not Mai?" That sort of stung. Since then, any feelings he ever had that were above the borderline for friendship was now sitting in back of his brain.

Look where they were now. Just the two of them, both almost adults, on the balcony, and nothing going on. Nothing, nothing at all. Zuko started hitting his head onto the railings. Katara looked at him worriedly.

She tapped his on the shoulder repeatedly. "Zuko, Zuko? Are you drunk already?" She asked, now shaking both his shoulders.

Zuko stopped, his head still down and facing the rails. "Katara..." He said, as softly as he could. "... are you _really_ okay with this?" It doesn't hurt to ask, right?

Well, it did hurt for Katara. At least a little. But, her jealous-and-in-denial attitude kept her from falling to the ground, in tears, begging him to love her and not Mai, as how soap operas would go.

"I..." Katara started, staring at the back of his head. She took a step back. "I think it's great, you getting married and all." A fake smile was plastered on her face. "I'm really, incredibly, very glad for you. Really."

"..."

"Don't forget to send that invite to your wedding!" She always rambled when she lied.

"..."

"And... And... I've got to go and find the best wedding present for you both." She still had that fake grin on her face, as if it was glued. "What does Mai like? Dagger? Because I once saw her- oh!" Zuko got up from his position and quickly wrapped her arms around her this waist.

"... Z- Zuko?" Katara stammered, using her arms to push him back just enough to see his face. "What are you-" His lips captured her into a soft, sweet kiss. Katara was shocked beyond anything, but closed her eyes tightly.

He was the one to break it, letting his arms around her drop, and moving to her ear. Between breaths, he whispered. "If you tell me to stop the engagement, I will."

When Katara opened her eyes again, he was gone already.

- - -

Katara returned to the dinner hall, to find that everything was normal, as if no one noticed she had left. Everyone was now mingling and walking around, talking to each other. She smiled to herself, walking up to Suki, who noticed her immediately. "Katara, you're back?" She asked. "That was only ten minutes!"

Sokka, who was indulging in his glass of wine, burped. "You... you left?" He almost sounded drunk. Katara hit him on the head, then turning to his girlfriend. "Suki, is he drunk?"

She laughed. "Drunk?" She repeated, swatting her hand in front of her, "Oh, no, of course not. I told Ty Lee to exchange his wine for some juice. He's just cranky. Aren't you, Sokka?" Sokka just grunted.

"I'm _not _cranky." He muttered to himself, taking a small sip. "Staying here just makes me annoyed."

Suki laughed lamely, grabbing Katara's shoulders and bringing her away from her brother. "So, I saw Zuko leave too when you left." She said once she brought Katara to the corner of the room, in a low whisper so that no one would overhear. "Did you have a talk?"

Katara nodded.

She continued. "What did he talk about?" Suki asked curiously.

"Well," Katara started. "He asked me if I was okay with it." Suki looked at her, still holding her friends shoulders. "Okay?" Suki repeated. "As in... okay with the wedding?" Katara nodded, taking Suki's arms from her.

"Yeah, I guess, and then he kissed me." Katara added, as if it didn't really matter. "Then he told me that if I said 'don't', he won't, then left. That's pretty much it." She shrugged, noticing Suki's eyes widening. She frowned. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

A voice behind her spoke. "It's 'cause I bet Sparky likes you, duh." Toph appeared and stood next to Suki. "Did you tell him to stop the engagement yet?"

Katara shook her head. "No... but it's not like I don't want him to-"

Toph sighed, crossing her arms and nudging Suki. "She's in denial, isn't she?" She made a 'tsk tsk' noise. Suki laughed. "Yeah," She pretended to whisper, but Katara heard very clearly. "If she doesn't get off her jealous-and-in-denial butt, she's going to regret it."

Toph looked at Katara. "Do you get our point?"

Katara stared blankly.

- - -

Meanwhile, Zuko sat quietly on one of the seats of the table. Mai came, sitting down and leaning her head on his shoulder once more. He shook his head, whispered a 'sorry', and shrugged her off. He sighed, staring at the wooden top.

"Is something wrong?" Mai asked. Zuko didn't move.

Mai tried again. "Is something wrong, Zuko?" Still, all he did was sit on the chair quietly, hands clamped together. She frowned. "You know, Zuko, we're getting married soon. You should learn how to say what you feel."

"Should I?" He finally said something, looking at her softly. She smiled, giving a nod.

"Then..." He said. "I think we should call of this marriage."

Soon after, the container of sugar that was sitting in front of him was now poured on top of his head.

Sokka snickered. "He really doesn't have any luck with girls, huh?"

* * *

**Jealous-but-denying-it!Katara and angst!Zuko? Oh, shat. This is getting emo already. Oh well. I think the angst is due to me listening to this 'You Ruined Me' song and I kept thinking, "Rain. Rain. Angst. Cry. Angst." Oops, I'll listen to poppier songs. Sorry for typos.  
**

**-Tsukia.**


End file.
